Get Active and Support Gut Health: Post-Antibiotic Exercise Strategies

Antibiotics – Saving Lives and Disturbing Guts

Antibiotics are substances that inhibit the growth of or directly kill bacteria and fungi. The term antibiotics was first coined in the late 1800s, followed later by the discovery of penicillin and its marketing as a medicine to the public beginning in 1945. Antibiotics are a powerful form of medicine and have saved countless lives (including mine!) in modern times. It feels ungrateful to complain, but antibiotics do have a drawback – they often trigger GI symptoms such as diarrhea and nausea during treatment. This is because antibiotics impact the gut microbiome.  

The Gut Microbiome and Antibiotics

The gut microbiome is the extensive colony of bacterial species that live in our GI tract. Fun fact: the sheer number of bacterial cells living in our guts outnumbers all the other cells in our bodies! The gut microbiome is a hot topic at Foodguides.com and with good reason. The gut microbiome is a powerful regulator of physiology, and an unhealthy gut microbiome, termed gut dysbiosis, severely harms health in various ways, including increasing the odds of cardiovascular disease and early mortality. A healthy gut microbiome is generally considered to display a greater diversity of bacterial species and is resistant to endotoxemia. 

We take antibiotics to help us kill bad bacteria (e.g., an invasive staphylococcus bacteria, like the one that nearly took me out in 2012) that infect us. Unfortunately, those antibiotics can also kill the good gut bacteria that aid us in digestion. Antibiotic use reduces the diversity of human gut bacteria. This reduction in gut biodiversity can have several negative consequences. Broad-spectrum antibiotic use, through its impact on the gut microbiome, has been found to impair immune function in cancer patients, potentially worsening the spread of cancer.

Rebuilding a Healthy Gut – Post-Antibiotic Exercise and Other Strategies

Exercise can improve the diversity of the gut microbiota. Regular exercises express a greater diversity in the bacteria of their gut microbiome. Based on available data, regular (3+ days/wk) aerobic exercise of at least moderate intensity for six weeks can affect positive changes in the gut microbiome, including greater biodiversity and fewer markers of endotoxemia.  

Hopefully, you are already a regular exerciser – though you may find yourself exercising less during antibiotic use. Resuming a regular exercise schedule is one powerful step toward restoring your gut microbiome. Other lifestyle factors that can boost the health of your gut microbiome include getting enough sleep and consuming a varied and balanced diet. Probiotic supplements can also help restore balance in the gut microbiome. Combining regular exercise, adequate sleep, and a varied diet can help you optimize the health of your gut microbiome.

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